Interchangeable-number frame.



No. 872,769. .PATENTED DEC. 3, 1907v R. A. STEVENSON.

INTERGHA-NGBABLE NUMBER FRAME. APPLICATION FILED MAY 2, 1901.

.cles to be numbered UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ROBERT A. STEVENSON, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO N. STAFFORD 00.,

OF NEW YORK, N.

Y., A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

INTERCHANGEABLE-NUMBER FRAME.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented. Dec. 3, 1907.

Application filed May 2. 1907. Serial No. 371,401.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ROBERT A. STEVEN- son, a citizen of the United States, residing at the borough of Manhattan, city, county, and State of New York, have invented an Improvement in Interchangeable-Number Frames, of which the following is a specification.v

My invention relates to a frame adapted to hold interchangeable plates for numerals or letters, or both, for forming various desired designations, and the same is especially adapted for use with motor vehicles.

Owners of motor vehicles are now-a-days required'to take out a license and their vehiand to carry about the number conspicuously displayed, usually depending from the rear of the machine and often also attached at the front. Each State issues licenses and numbers; the numbers of the States are regulated in size and color and touring motor vehicles passing from .one State into another must change their number on the border, and the object of my invention is to provide a frame or holder adapted to receive the respective desired sets of numerals or letters, or both, so that the tourist only carries the sets of numerals etc. v

In carrying out my invention, I provide a rectangular plate of sheet metal and overturn the edges thereof against the samesurface so as to form a frame. One edge is spaced apart from the plate and the other and opposite edges are placed down snugly against'the plate. I provide a member or e go to come opposite the spaced apart edge and this is pivotally connected at one end to one over-turned edge preferablyat one corner of the frame and at its other end is provided with a suitable catch.

Suspending devices are employed secured I letters of the desired size and color are to be secured to the plates are to be prepared according to regulation, and the series of plates of one member are interchangeable with others at the pleasure of the autoist or when necessary in touring. r

In the drawing, Figure 1 is an elevation of the device of my invention as suspende from a point of support. Fig. 2 is a vertical cross section on the dotted line 0;, :10, Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a sectional plan on the dotted line y, y, Fig. 1, and Fig. 4 is a rear view at the upper left hand corner of Fig. 1 of the frame showing the construction of this corner of the hinge member and the way of attaching the same to the frame.

a represents theplate or back of the frame, the edges a a a of which are oven-turned and pressed down upon the surface of the plate 0 against which they are over-turned. The lower edge I) is also over-turned in like manner but is not pressed down. This edge is spaced apart from the plate a and its ends are advantageously turned down against the outer surfaces of the over-turnededges a a and small rivets 2 may be passed through these parts so as to "hold the spaced apart edgeistrip b in osition.

-lprovide a hlnge member 0 tially in thesha e of an inverted U with one limb'prolonged beyond the other. This will be a parent from the cross section Fig. 2. The internal width of this hinge member 0 is sufficient to straddle the late a and its upper over-turned edge (1 am in width the member is wide enough at the front to extend-appreciably beyond the over-turned edge a. This hinge member is pivotally connected by a rivet 3' to one corner of the frame and at its opposite end is preferably formed with an over-turned tang c which extends around the side of the frame so as to grasp the same frictionally. This tang c is preferably con nected by a rivet to the main portion of the hinge member and the hinge member adjacent to the tang is provided with a spring tongue 0 provided with an opening. A stud rivet 4 is secured to the plate a and its overturned edge a and projects rearwardly from the frame so as to pass through the opening in the spring tongue 1; and therewith to form a catch employed for holding the hinge member c in place in the frame.

I have shown lates d riveted to the plate a at the back t ereof. These plates carry formed essenthese plates and the surfaces of snap-hooks 6 adapted to engage eyes in the vehicle body so as to suspend the number frame from the vehicle body. These plates d are slotted and may be'engaged by a strap extendin from the same portion of the vehicle b0 y for the'purpose of connecting thereto the said frame, in which case the snap-hooks e will not be used but will hang free against the back of the frame.

I have shown and employ a series of removable plates f which are alike and which plates are provided with over-turned edgesf or the twofold purpose of stiffening the plates f and facilitating the plates of the series in the frame and prevent mg their longitudinal movement and tendency to override. The lower edge I) of the frame is spaced apart sufficiently to receive these removable plates and the edge of the hinge member 0 is wide enough to extend over the upper edges of these plates f.

In Fig. l I have shown-numerals as secured to live of the plates and forming the number 14339 and on the following plate the letters N. J. indicating the State granting to the autoist'this number for his car. While this is illustrated it serves to indicate the appli* 1 cation of the device for these numerals and the letters of the provide a stiffness to indicating that any number may be employed, together with any letters standing or a State, and while I have shown five plates for numerals in the frame and one for State, the frame may be of any size adapted to receive any number or plates, and furthermore, the plates for the frame may not all contain numbers as some of them may be blank in cases where the number of the car only includes two or three numerals.

The exposed surfaces of the plates f may be given any color desired or required by the State issuing the license, likewise the numerals made in any color according to the same requirements.

It is however, quite apparent that it is a very simple proposition to un-latch the hinge member 0 from the stud rivet 4 and to swing the frame with reference to the hinge memberso as to change the number of the car at the pleasure of the autoist or necessity of the case. The overturned edges the plates increasing their useful life and serving to keep them in shape so as to prevent buckling or twisting.

I do not limit myself to the precise details shown and described as obvious equivalents may be employed within the scope of the a ppended clalms without'departing from the spirit of my invention.

claim as my invention:

1. A frame' for interchangeable numerals or letters, comprising a plate with overturned edges and a lower edge spaced apart from the plate, a member along the edge opposite to the spaced apart edge and placing of the r of the plates f J I l l turned edges and a lower edge spaced apart from the plate, a member along the edge 0 posite to the spaced apart edge and pivotally connected to the frame at one corner in, a hinged relation and adapted to fit over one over-turned edge so as to receive between the said member and the spaced apart edge the interchangeable numerals or letters, and means secured to the said plate for removably connecting the same with a suitable support 3. A frame for interchangeable numerals or letters, comprising a plate with over turned edges and a lower over-turned edge spaced apart from the plate, a member fitting over the edge opposite to the spaced apart edge and pivotally connected to the said. plate at one corner of the frame so as to swing, and a series of interchangeable plates having over-turned edges and upon which are numerals or letters, said plates being interchangeable with one another and received within the lower spaced apart edge and beneath the pivotal member along the opposite edge of the frame.

4. A frame for interchangeable numerals or letters, comprising a plate with overturned edges and a lower over-turned edge spaced apart from the plate, amember fitting over the edge opposite to the spaced apart edge and pivotally connected to the said plate at one corner of the frame so to swing, and a series of interchangeable plates having over-turned edges and upon which are numerals or letters, said plates being interchangeable with one another and received within the lower spacedvapart edge and beneath the pivotal member along the opposite edge of the frame and devices connected to the back of the plate l'orre movably suspending the same from a point of support.

5. In a frame for interchangeable numerals or letters, the combination with a plate of Iectz ngular configuration, an over-turned spaced apart edge along the longest dimensions of the plate, a member adapted to fit over and along the opposite longest edge of the plate and a pivotal connection therefor at one end, a part adapted to extend around the corner of the edge of the frame at the opposite edge of said hinge member and a catch device connected to this latter end of the pivotal member for fixing" the position of the same.

6. In a frame for interchangeable numerals or letters, the combination with a plate at the opposite edge of said hinge member,

a catch device connected to this latter end of the pivotal member for fixing the position of the same and a series of interchangeable numeral or letter plates each havin over-turned edges adapted to be received in said frame between the spaced apart edge and the pivotally connected member.

7. In a frame for interchangeablenumerals or letters, the combination with a plate of rectangular configuration, an over-turned spaced apart edge along the longest dimensions of the plate, a member ada ted to fit over and along the opposite longest edge of the plate and a pivotal connection therefor at one end, a part adapted to extend around the corner of the edge of the frame at the opposite edge of said hinge member, a catch device connected to this latter end of the pivotal member for fixin the position of the same, and plates secured atthe back of the frame plate and suspending devices connected to said plates for suspending the frame device from a suitable support.

8. In a frame for interchangeable numerals or letters, the combination with a plate of rectangular configuration, an over-turned spaced apart edge along the longest dimensions of the plate, a member adapted to fit over and along the opposite longest edge of the plate and a pivotal connection therefor at one end, a part adapted to extend around the corner of the ed e of the'frame at the opposite edge of saidainge member, a catch device connected to this latter end of the pivotal member for fixing the position of the same, meral or letter plates each having overturned edges adapted to be received in said frame between the spaced apart edge .and the pivotally connected member, and

plate devices secured to the frame plate at the back thereof and to which are connected devices for suspending the said frame and the interchangeable number plates held thereby from a suitable support.

Signed by methis 5th day of April, 1907.

ROBT. A. STEVENSON. Witnesses:

GEO. T. PINCKNEY, E. ZAOHARIASEN.

a series of interchangeable nu-- 

